Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2017-54
| Common name: |
Broad-billed Hummingbird |
| Scientific name: | Cynanthus latirostris |
| Date: | 2 Oct 2017 |
| Time: | 1449 |
| Length of time observed: | 21 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Male |
| Location: | Ackerman Residence, Lazarus Lane, Castle Valley Utah 84532 |
| County: | Grand |
| Latilong: | 38.643047, -109.418082 |
| Elevation: | 1414 meters |
| Distance to bird: | 40 feet or more |
| Optical equipment: | Canon 10 x 30 image stabilized binoculars. Canon SX60 HS Camera |
| Weather: | Overcast, 45 degrees. |
| Light Conditions: | clear, overcast skies. |
| Description: Size of bird: | Very small, significantly smaller than nearby House Finches and Pine Siskins. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Hummingbird, obvious by long needle-like bill. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Overall green. When perched wings appear black. Region of blue in throat, extending under eyes. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Long and thin. Needle-like. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Obvious hummingbird by size, shape, bill, flight pattern, and visits to
hummingbird feeder. Broadly notched tail apparent when hovering at feeder.
Overall green color with blue gorget. White undertail coverts. Bill dark at tip
with red extending from base to approximately halfway to tip. Small white
postocular region. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Did not vocalize during our observation. |
| Behavior: | Visited hummingbird feeder at frequency approximately 5 minutes. After leaving feeder would perch in Juniper trees approx 50 feet from feeder. Sometimes disturbed from perch by feeding House Finches and Pine Siskins. |
| Habitat: | Open, brushy, interspersed with Juniper trees. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
The only other regularly occurring hummingbird in North America with red base of bill is the White-eared Hummingbird. This can be eliminated by the following features of the subject bird: 1) Longer, slightly downcurved bill. 2) Blue Gorget. 3) Lack of significant white supercilium. 4) Broadly notched tail. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen this species in Arizona and California. |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide To Birds, 2nd edition. National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 7th edition. Cornell Orinthology Lab Birds of North America (online). |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Glenn Kincaid |
| Observer's address: | HC64 Box 2404 Castle Valley Ut 84532 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Steve Heinrich, Scott Ackermann. |
| Date prepared: | 2 Oct 2017 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: |